Andrea Stewart-Cousins's Constituent stories

Bill Moye, born in New Rochelle in 1915, in an astute gentleman who has been seen walking, shopping for his homebound neighbors, delighting all ages with stories and dance steps – and continuing to be an integral part of his hometown.

For the few years that Mr. Moye was away from New Rochelle, he proudly served his country in World War II. Inducted by Local S.S. Board 738 of New Rochelle on June 19, 1942, Mr. Moye left for Fort Jay, New York. After two weeks’ leave, he passed through Camp Upton, Long Island, to Camp Lee, Virginia, for seven weeks of Basic Training, as well as training as a Bugler.

Danielle N. Butin, MPH, OTR, is the Founder and Executive Director of the Afya Foundation, a medical supply recovery organization in New York. Since its inception in late 2007, Afya has shipped more than 100 40-foot containers packed with recovered humanitarian and medical supplies to Haiti and African nations. Ms. Butin is a fi rm believer in asking recipient hospitals and organizations abroad for their “wish list,” and Afya attempts to match as many items as possible with those available for donation in the New York metropolitan area.

Dr. Elliott S. Palais, a resident of Yonkers, NY, has maintained a special connection with veterans throughout his many years of community service with numerous organizations - including as Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Yonkers City Post 1666; as Past Jr. Vice commander of the Westchester County VFW; and as Past Chairman and former Chairman, Yonkers Central Committee of Veterans Organizations.

Currently the TRiO (Title IV) Director at Fordham University and past Adjunct Assistant Professor, Dr. Palais’ personal and professional accomplishments speak for themselves. He has played active leadership roles with the Council for Opportunity in Education, the Association on Higher Education and Disability and the American Counseling Association.

Isabel E. Villar, a native of Cuba, immigrated to the United States with her family in 1966. She enrolled in White Plains High School and was immediately sensitized to the problems presented by the language barrier and the cultural differences experienced by newcomers to this country. Upon graduation from high school she was awarded a scholarship to Manhattanville College, where she received a B.A. in Political Science/Latin America Studies. She became a bilingual middle school teacher and then obtained her first master’s degree through a New York University program in Spain.

Dr. Olivia J. Hooker was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1915, and moved with her family to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her father was a successful businessman who operated a clothing store and her mother was a former teacher in the Greenwood District, which was referred to as “the prairie’s own small turn-of-the-century Harlem”.

Dr. Olivia Hooker was six years old when her community in Tulsa was destroyed on May 31, 1921, in the worst race riot in the history of the United States. The Tulsa Riot resulted in the deaths of more than three hundred people, and the burning of more than one thousand homes and businesses. Dr. Olivia J. Hooker vividly remembers being awakened by the thudding sounds of machine gun ammunition raining down on her family’s home.

Dr. Mary Lane Cobb moved to Westchester County after medical school to pursue her career as a general practitioner in Tarrytown and eventually incorporated obstetrics into her practice.

In 1977, Dr. Cobb served as the Director of Women and Youth Services at the Westchester County Department of Health. While there, she was instrumental in introducing mid-level practitioners into service delivery and the use of community workers for education and outreach. Through her diligence and determination, she also brought about a partnership with Yonkers-based Youth Theatre Interactions to create a teenaged drama troupe that carried HIV/AIDS prevention messages to inner-city youth.

Rossana Rosado has been a dominant force in New York media for 27 years. Using her Journalism degree from Pace University, she started as a City Hall reporter at El Diario La Prensa. She left the newspaper to join WPIX, Inc. as a Producer of Public A‑ airs programming. The move paid o‑ and she was later promoted to Public Service Director, responsible for the creation and placement of hundreds of Public Service Announcements on the air. Ms. Rosado was recognized for her talents when she won an Emmy in 1992 for the production of a series of Public Service Announcements featuring organizations which helped children.

I would like to thank St. Mark's Lutheran School and their students for participating in our Earth Day Poster Competition. In keeping with the theme of our Earth Day Celebration of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” We will celebrate and honor Earth Day this year by displaying your work on my website. Also, each participant will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation in the competition. Thank you and don’t forget to “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!”

Joseph T. Nader, retired Lt. Col and retired Lt. YPD, also a Yonkers native, served in North Africa and Italy during WWII and at Ft. Gordon during the Korean War. As an US Army reservist, he attained the rank of Lt. Colonel. Joe was appointed to the Yonkers Police Dept. in 1946 and was Chairman of the Police and Fire Retirees for 8 years. He was also Past Commander of Post 1666 VFW and Chairman of the Central Committee of War Veterans. Joe was instrumental in establishing Montrose Veterans Nursing Home, Veterans Service Agency in Yonkers and the Gold Star Mother’s Monument in Larkin Plaza. He was a recipient of Westchester County Veteran of the Year and NY Veterans Hall of Fame.

Kenneth B. Fleiger has devoted a life time to service of his community, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and his family; andKenneth B. Fleiger was born in New York City on April 23, 1937, and he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1956 and transferred to the Marine Corp Reserve in 1958, returning to Active Duty in January of 1963; andKenneth B. Fleiger served honorably in Vietnam from January of 1963 to May of 1969 and was placed on permanent disability in 1973 due to his military service; andWhile in the military, Kenneth B. Fleiger served as part of the Marine Barracks Honor Guard in Washington, District of Columbia, in addition to his tours of service in Vietnam and Japan; and

Louis S. Nigrello honorably served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 as a radioman first class and served with great distinction on the USS LSM 144 in the Pacific Theater, and was involved in significant action protecting the United States Fleet during World War II; and

A Great State is only as great as those Individuals who perform exemplary service on behalf of their community, and it is the custom of this Great State to pay tribute to that outstanding service; and

Peter Ethrain Joseph was born at St Joseph's Hospital in Yonkers, New York on March 20, 1931, attended St. Mary's Grammar School and after his graduation from Saunders High School enrolled for one year at Westchester Community College prior to his military service; and

Geno Peter Egiziaco, Sr. was born in Waltham, Mass. on March 6th, 1922 to Michael and Carmela Egiziaco. His family moved to the Bronx in 1937 and from there, headed to Yonkers. He attended Yonkers Public School and went to Rutgers University in New Jersey where he studied labor law and management methods.

Mr. Egiziaco honorably served his country from 1941 to 1945 with the United States Marine Corps and from 1946 to 1948 with the United States Army Transport Service. He has the distinction of honorably serving both of these branches of the military. During his military time he served twenty-eight months in a combat zone.

Eli Vetrano was born October 9, 1928, the 12th of 13 children born to Michael and Margaret Vetrano of Yonkers, New York. Eli Vetrano attended Yonkers Public Schools, and learned his trade as a Carpenter while a student at Saunders High School. Eli served in the United States Army from 1950 through November of 1952, and was stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Tulle, Greenland, helping to bring in supplies to build the Air Force Base there. Eli Vetrano received an honorable discharge from Governor’s Island as a Corporal in 1952. Since his discharge, Eli Vetrano has focused his talents on raising his family, helping veterans and supporting his faith.